MANAGER: Expect us to improve

Manager Graham Kavanagh confirmed today that work is ongoing as he looks to add numbers to the squad both ahead of tomorrow’s visit of Gillingham and the important final few months of the campaign.

“We’re confident that we could have a couple done by the 12pm deadline tomorrow [Saturday],” he said. “Everything has been agreed between the clubs and I’m hoping the clearance and paperwork will be done.

“They are loan players but we think they’ll add to the group. We’re in a situation where we need bodies and if we can add to the numbers it could just give everyone a lift.

“I think loan players generally come to you because they aren’t getting games at their club. They want to showcase themselves and get in the shop window. We give them that opportunity and sometimes, when they do well, they leave us and move up the ladder. That’s always disappointing but it’s also the nature of the loan market.

“I’ve said all along that I don’t want to bring bodies in who aren’t better than what we already have. Once you bring them in you have to find out about them quickly and find a formula that works. We’ve used the amount of players we’ve used because we’ve been plugging holes for a number of reasons and for a number of months. We haven’t been able to find the permanent signings we wanted, for whatever reason, so we’ve had to do what we can in other ways.

“The majority have done well and some have left gaping holes in the group when they’ve left us. That does become an issue but it’s where we are at the moment. We have to make the most of it and move forward as positively as we can.”

“Max Ehmer is an example of that,” he told us. “We made a couple of calls when he saw that he wasn’t involved in their squad but it isn't looking as positive as we would have hoped. I'm not saying it's completely dead but it isn't something I'm hanging my hat on. We'll probably move on from that one now. We're exploring other avenues and we'll see where it takes us.”

“We’re in a situation now where we need the team to perform,” he said. “We have looked at shape and we know we need to try and get the best out of Lee Miller, so there are one or two things I am toying with.

“We’re in a results game and I know I’ll be judged on that. We’re not where I expect us to be but I also expect us to improve over the next 18 games. It’s an important spell that we’re going into and I expect nothing less than full commitment from everyone.”

United Player subscribers can see a video interview with Graham Kavanagh now. Click HERE to go to the Player platform. Follow the same link for more information on United Player, and to subscribe.

Click HERE to see a clip from this interview on our YouTube channel. Follow the same link for more FREE content right from the heart of the club.